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Hyde and Seek, Underbelly Cowgate, review

August 12, 2019

A single actor relays the mystery story of Mr. Hyde without any assistance from a technician, triggering all cues without the audience noticing. Flat Packed Theatre’s Hyde and Seek is a theatrically interesting and technologically impressive proposition, recommended to everyone interested in the background mechanics of theatre.

The untold story of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, as relayed by Albert – the theatre doorman – is an adventure into the 19th century, staged in a cold, cold room inside Underbelly Cowgate. This one-man show, involving puppetry, musical numbers, multi-roling and an enormous amount of cues, creates the dark and mysterious atmosphere whilst still instilling proceedings with a warm humour. 

The story told in Flat Packed Theatre’s Hyde and Seek, though, is not as captivating as expected – which, for me, is it’s weakest point. Written by Ben Oldfield, there’s an unsatisfying amount of ‘mystery’ and even less suspense in the slight narrative. The majority of the atmosphere comes from Ciaran Clarke’s effective sound and lighting states, and Underbelly Cowgate’s stone walls which compliment and complete the design. 

Michael Tonkin-Jones – the show’s performer and creator – plays the multitude of characters well, and especially interesting are his switches between Jekyll and Hyde. He opts for subtle differences rather than making them two extreme opposites, and this adds to the darkness of the play as it reminds us that there are two sides to everyone, if we look hard enough. 

But rather than aiming for a particularly philosophical take-out, Hyde and Seek aims and succeeds in being humorous – and the comedy is one of the production’s greatest strengths. A concluding scene where Hyde fights the police will stay in my memory, fondly – and although the writing could be tightened, this is a fun and ambitious hour recommended to everyone interested in the mechanics of technical theatre.

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Žad Novak
Žad Novak is currently studying Comparative Literature and German at the University of Glasgow, with Theatre Studies as her additional subject. When not at university, she volunteers/works as an assistant (to the) director in professional theatres in Zagreb, Glasgow and Berlin. Her passion lies in brining theatre, literature and film from non-English-speaking countries into the spotlight, believing that exposing people to artworks from other places helps battle inequality and xenophobia. She is one of the founders of Glasgow International Student Theatre, a theatre society at University of Glasgow aiming to stage translated plays from around the world. Nevertheless, none of this is to say that she cannot enjoy a good production of Shakespeare. She is deeply, deeply grateful to all the amazing baristas across Edinburgh, the unsung heroes that make her Fringe-Binge possible! When she is not involved in making theatre, she loves to talk about past productions, and complains about missing ‘the theatre life’. Recently, she has found relief in writing reviews. Her family and friends are grateful.

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